24/7 Wall St. Insights
- We used data from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft.
- The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers are some of the largest warships in the U.S. Navy.
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Sea vessels carry a variety of crew sizes based on the size of the vessel itself and its purpose. Sailing warships may carry 400-500 service members, while an aircraft carrier can carry upwards of 5,000. What is even more extraordinary is that these vessels not only carry this many men and women but also hold weapons of all shapes and sizes, including airplanes. Ensuring that the people and the equipment work together seamlessly in times of need is important and requires practice.
Exercise Sea Breeze is an annual naval exercise led by the U.S. and co-hosted by a regional partner (like Ukraine) that primarily takes place in the Black Sea region and involves NATO/allied partners. Exercises like this allow navies an opportunity to cross-train with each other to improve interoperability. In this case, Sea Breeze is training Allied Forces and their partners for maritime security in the Black Sea region.
For this, crews of multiple ships of different navies will work together on mine countermeasures. The function of this exercise is for crews to work effectively side-by-side, and the importance of that cannot be understated. This is especially important when crews for some vessels can number in the hundreds, if not thousands. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the U.S. Navy and how many crew its vessels employ.
To identify the warships and submarines in the U.S. Navy with the biggest crews, 24/7 Wall St. referenced a catalog of naval vessels from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft. The warship and submarine classes were ranked in order of their average crew size. We included supplemental information regarding type, top speed, armament, and more.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers are some of the largest warships in the U.S. Navy and they need a crew that can effectively operate them. Crews on these vessels typically number over 5,000 and sometimes over 6,000, including the air wing. With this many crew members, aircraft carriers are basically floating air bases.
This post was updated on August 28, 2025 to clarify speed, crew numbers, and classification of certain ships.
Why Are We Covering This?
Understanding the U.S. Navy and its capabilities gives context to larger national defense strategies and geopolitical relations. Its technological innovations have profound impacts not just on the military but on civilian life as well.
Here is a look at the American warships and submarines with the biggest crews:
19. Cyclone-class
- Crew size: 30
- Type: Patrol ship
- Year introduced: 1993
- Top speed: 40 mph (35 knots)
- Displacement: 335 tons
18. Independence-class
- Crew size: 100-120+
- Type: Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)
- Year introduced: 2010
- Top speed: 50 mph (44 knots)
- Displacement: 3,300 tons
17. Avenger-class
- Crew size: 81
- Type: Mine countermeasures ship
- Year introduced: 1987
- Top speed: 16 mph (14 knots)
- Displacement: 1,367 tons
16. Seawolf-class
- Crew size: 116
- Type: Attack submarine
- Year introduced: 1997
- Top speed: 20.7 mph
- Displacement: 9,140 tons
15. Freedom-class
- Crew size: 125
- Type: Littoral combat ship
- Year introduced: 2008
- Top speed: 52 mph (45 knots)
- Displacement: 3,000 tons
14. Los Angeles-class
- Crew size: 134
- Type: Nuclear submarine
- Year introduced: 1976
- Top speed: 34.5 mph
- Displacement: 6,072 tons
13. Virginia-class
- Crew size: 134
- Type: Nuclear submarine
- Year introduced: 2004
- Top speed: 40.3 mph
- Displacement: 7,800 tons
12. Zumwalt-class
- Crew size: 140
- Type: Guided-missile destroyer
- Year introduced: 2016
- Top speed: 34.5 mph
- Displacement: 14,564 tons
11. Ohio-class
- Crew size: 153
- Type: Nuclear submarine
- Year introduced: 1981
- Top speed: 28.8 mph
- Displacement: 16,765 tons
10. Arleigh Burke-class
- Crew size: 323
- Type: Guided missile destroyer
- Year introduced: 1991
- Top speed: 34.5 mph
- Displacement: 8,885 tons
9. Ticonderoga-class
- Crew size: 330
- Type: Cruiser
- Year introduced: 1986
- Top speed: 37.4 mph
- Displacement: 9,800 tons
8. San Antonio-class
- Crew size: 361
- Type: Amphibious transport dock
- Year introduced: 2006
- Top speed: 25.3 mph
- Displacement: 25,000 tons
7. Blue Ridge-class
- Crew size: 842
- Type: Command ship
- Year introduced: 1970
- Top speed: 26.5 mph
- Displacement: 18,875 tons
6. Harpers Ferry-class
- Crew size: 400-450
- Type: Dock landing ship
- Year introduced: 1995
- Top speed: 23.0 mph
- Displacement: 16,601 tons
5. Whidbey Island-class
- Crew size: 400-450
- Type: Dock landing ship
- Year introduced: 1985
- Top speed: 23.0 mph
- Displacement: 16,360 tons
4. America-class
- Crew size: 2,600
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 2014
- Top speed: 25.3 mph
- Displacement: 46,000 tons
3. Wasp-class
- Crew size: 3,275
- Type: Amphibious assault ship
- Year introduced: 1989
- Top speed: 26.5 mph
- Displacement: 41,182 tons
2. Ford-class
- Crew size: 4,660
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 2017
- Top speed: 34.5 mph
- Displacement: 112,000 tons
1. Nimitz-class
- Crew size: 5,680 (including air wing)
- Type: Aircraft carrier
- Year introduced: 1975
- Top speed: 34.5 mph
- Displacement: 97,000 tons
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